Arch support for boots and shoes



Nov. 8, 1932. J. A. REID ARCH SUPPORT FOR BOOTS AND SHOES Filed Jan. 12, 1929 J/WENTUR JUHN @KE/u.

Patented Nov. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES? PATENT ounce:

JOHN ALBERT :REID, OFFREDERICTON, NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA, ASSIGNdRI TO THE HARTT BOOT -AND SHOE COMPANY LIMITED, OF FREDERI-CTON, NEW BRUNSWICK,

CANADA 1 ARCH surronr FOR BOOTS AND snons Application filed January 12, 1929. Serial 11'o.'332,205.

This invention relates to improvements in arch supports for boots, and shoes, and the object of the invention is to provide a support for the longitudinal arch which will provide the requisite support at the medial or inner side of the foot holding the os calcis erect.

A further object isto provide such a supportwhich will effectively support the longitudinal arch without causingrigidity at the point-where theshoe normally should bend, thus preventingundue pressure on the sole of the shoe and wear on the sole at the .end of the support. a

A further object is to provide sucha support which while efl'ectively supporting the longitudinal arch will add strength to the shoe but at the same time will allow transverse flexibility, so that the normal roll of the foot in; walking is not impeded and will allow regular exercise of the plantar muscles.

A further objectis to provide such a sup-' port which may be so placed in the shoe that the angle of the shank is made to correspond to the tarso-metatarsal articulation of the foot just extending to the tarsal heads of'the metatarsal bones, because it is weakness, in the tarsus that causes a fallen arch. a

A further object is to provide sucha support wherein the chief strength of the support is at or near the breast of the heel, which primarily takes care of the weight of the body.

A further object is to provide a novel form of support for the longitudinal arch which may be so positioned in the. shoe as accurately to meet the requirements of individual feet and shoe sizes so that a single support may serve for a considerable number of shoe sizes and individual foot requirements, thusreducing the production costsby eliminating the necessity of a special support for each shoe size. 7 I

A further object is to provide such a support which maybe readily incorporated in shoesmade on the ordinary lasts, thus further reducing the cost of production by eliminating the necessity of special-lasts for the manufacture of shoes equipped with such an arch support. L I I v The invention consists in the construction and arran 'ement, all as hereinafter more particularly escribed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which i I Fig. '1 is a bottom plan view of. a shoe equipped with the improved arch support 85 which is indicated in broken lines. I

c Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the heel and a portion of the sole of a shoe equipped with the improved arch support.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the improved I su ort as would be used for the left foot.

' ig. 4 is a longitudinal section on the line 44 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line .65 5-5 of Figure 3 to a slightly enlarged scale.-

In the drawing like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different views.

The improved support comprises a metal shank in the form of a metal plate 10, the front end of which is divided into tongue-like portions ll' by longitudinally disposed slots 12 and these tongues are of decreasing length across thewidth of the plate, the angle of the front end of the shank being made to correspond with the tarso-metatarsal articulation of the foot, the longest tongue being on the insideof the plate as it. would lie in'the shoe.

lhe shank may be made of gradually reduced thickness towards its forward end, the

reduction in thickness starting at the base the tongues 11.. g 'Adjacent to the rear end of'the plate is a comparatively large orifice 13, the purpose of which will be later explained and adjacent to the rear end of the plate are tack holes 14 to permit tacking it in place after the proper location has been decided upon, the two tacks being used to keep it from sliding either to one side or the other, that is, the forward end. The plate is so formed that its upper face is concave transversely and convex longitudinally. I 05 In equipping a shoe with the improved arch support, the shank 10 is. placed between the insole l5, and the outsole 16 so that the rear end of the shank overlies the heel17 and the tongues 11 overlie the sole l6 andthe wearer is standing in a shoe,.w-ith one" of'these" shanks so positioned in the shoe that the shank extends back well under the heel of the foot, the weight of the foot comes directly on it',t'hat is the wearers Weight alone would almost keep the shank in place.

A further advantage of the provision of the hole 13 is that it enables a single shank to be used for a considerable number of shoe sizes as the shank may be adjusted longitudinally in the shoe as desired for certain sizes and this results in a considerable saving in cost'of production, since a comparatively few different shank sizes Wlll take care of practically all mens shoe sizes. The shank is concave transversely on its upper side so that edges curve upwardly and provide avery efiicient support for the longitudinal arch.

The longitudinal arch when it drops does not fall vertically but rather it rolls inwardly allowing the navi'cular to drop and seemingly protrude and the length of' the support is just sufiicient to provide the necessary support at the medial or inner side of the foot so as to hold the os cal'cis erect and. the length oft he support is just sufficient to accomplish this, but not. long, enough to cause rigidity'at the point where theishoe normally should bend, and in this way undue pressure on the sole of the shoe is prevented and also wear is prevented on the sole at the end of the shank.

' It is most desirable in such an arch supportto provide the necessary support for the longitudinal arch without causing undue transverse rigidity and due to the construction of the improved arch with its tongues 11 this is effectively accomplished, since a very eflicient and effective support is provided and these tongues allow transverse flexibility so that the normal roll of the foot in walking is not impeded, and thus the regular exercise of the plantar muscles is not interfered with.

It will further be noted that the shank is securely anchored between the insole and the outersole and heel.

While the improved support is intended to provide" support for the" longitudinal arch, it may be conveniently and effectively used in combination with any suitable support for the transverse or metatarsal arch, and when soused it will provide effective relief for cases in which support is required at both these points.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the invention provides an improved arch support in the nature of a metal shank whereby the objects set forth are obtained.

Various modifications may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit thereot orthe scope of. the claims, and! therefore the exact forms shown are-to betaken as illustrative only and not in a limitingsense, and it is desired that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are disclosed in the prior art or. areset torth in the accompany ing claims.

W'hat Icl'aim as my inventionis? 1-. The combinationwith ashoe Offl/Il arch support comprising an elongated metal plate inthe form of' a shank disposed long-itudi-- na'lly' thereof, the fi'orwa-rd end ofsaid' plate-v being divided into longitudinally extending non-diverging, tongue-like portions by longi tudihal slots, the lengthot the tongues decreasing from theinner'to-the' outer sid'e ofthe:

plate to follow the l ineofthe metatars a-l arch,

the tongues terminating rearwardlyof the metatarsal arch, therear oii said plate overly ing the heelof' the shoe' and anchored t ller-e upon, and the tongue like portions being free from projections for preventing relative rililovement between" them and the sole of the s ea.

2-. In a shoe the combination with the heel, the outsole and the insole thereof, of' an archsupport' comprising an elongated metal plate in theformof a shank positionedbetween the insole and theoutsole and having itsfront end divided into longitudinally extending non-diverging tongue-like portions by" longitudinally disposed slots, theton'gues termi' nating'rearwa-rdly ozfithe metatarsal arch,- the rear end of the plate overlying the heel and anchored thereupon by a nail extending through the heel", outersole and innersol'e, and the tongue like portions freely overlying the sole; the rear end o'fi'the plate being provided withan orifihe positioned adjacent the breast of theheel.

31 A device according to claim 2, in which the length of the tongues decreases from the inner to the outer side of the: plate to follow the line of the metatarsal arch.

4. In a shoe the combination with the heel, the outsole and the insole thereof, of an arch support comprising an elongated metal plate in the form of a shank positioned between the insole and outsole and having itsfront end divided into' longitudinally extending nondiverging tongue li-ke portionsby longitudinally disposed slots, the tongues terminating rearwardly of the metatarsal arch, the rear end of the plate overlying the heel and anchore'd thereupon by anai'll extending through the heel, outersole and innersole, the tongue like portions freely overlying the sole and decreasing in length from the inner to the outer side of the late to follow the line of the metatarsal arc the plate being concaved transversely, convexed longitudinall and provided with an orifice positioned a jacent the breast of the heel.

5. An arch support for a shoe comprising s an elongated metal plate having its front end divided into longitudinally extending tongues, the upper surface of said plate being concave in form to form a partial enveloping support for the os calcis, said plate being of such length as to form such support but not long enough to interfere with normal bending F of the shoe when walking.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN ALBERT REID. 

